


Beauty

by Not_You



Series: It's Weird When Shaw Is Nice [23]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Meet the Family, Multi, betrothal, meet cute, too many descriptions of finery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-18
Updated: 2013-04-18
Packaged: 2017-12-08 19:31:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/765170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Not_You/pseuds/Not_You
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Anya meets Xavi and finds him beautiful.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beauty

Xavi hopes Anya won't mind him being mad. He frets with his hair and his clothes in front of his mother's looking glass. She is mad too, but very beautiful, and she smiles now. "You look lovely, Xavi. Come to Mother." He goes over and lets her hug him and kiss his cheek even if he is much too old for it, and feels a little better. "Now, darling. Let's talk to the air while we wait."

Talking to the air is one of their favorite games, and people don't seem to understand it at all. But the air is very present to Xavi, and all the little pieces talk to him. They show him how they're put together, and the relationship between air and water and how the wind is made and how air rides lightning into the ground to make things grow. Xavi and Mother are so involved that they don't hear the guards coming. They just look up and see gleaming armor and follow them out, still half-dreaming.

Xavi has seen and liked Anya's portrait, but a portrait is nothing. There are whole other colors to people that painters never seem to catch, and Xavi is nervous and excited to see the real Anya. He does his best not to hold Mother's hand like a much younger child, but gives in eventually and is still holding it when they enter the main audience chamber to see the Shaws grouped at the foot of the dias. Anya is in the middle, and curtseys deeply. She's so beautiful that it takes a long moment for Xavi to remember to bow. Her gown is blue, but so is she. Beautiful, calm, understanding blue. It wavers around her like flame, and he blushes.

The Majestrix and her son may be mad, but madness doesn't frighten Anya and Xavi is _beautiful_. The portrait hadn't done him justice, and her blush matches his own as they stare at each other and then look away. Mother smiles behind his hand, and the Majestrix formally welcomes them, inviting them to bathe and then return to dine in her chambers, as befits those who will be family.

Anya does her best not to be too frantic about under or overdressing as the Majestrix's ladies-in-waiting bathe her and compliment her on her hair, always fascinated by the thick, furry texture of northern tresses, such a contrast to the fine, feathery hair most people in the Imperium have.

"My lady, you'll be able to braid this into ropes to catch our prince's heart," one says with a giggle, and Anya blushes deeper than before.

"You think so?"

That makes them all laugh, but it's a kind laugh, and they dress and paint her in the Imperium's style, with complex eye makeup that mimics the royal family's madsign and a flowing silver and white gown, light and perfect for the mild weather. They braid her hair into two thick plaits, each one studded with tiny jewels that sparkle and shimmer as she moves. Her parents look just as elegant, Father in black, Charles in silver, and Mother dressed like Anya, but in silver and black. His short hair has tiny silver clips in it, and Charles's curls are frosted with silver, making him look unreal and incredibly beautiful. Anya smiles when they tell her she looks lovely, and returns the compliment. David will be eating in the nursery, but tells Anya that Xavi has talked in his head and is very nice.

In the Imperium food is chopped into bite-size, delicate pieces, and served on big communal platters with tiny individual plates to rest pieces on. Anya decides that she likes it, and smiles as Xavi carefully serves her two of his favorites to try. The serving utensils are big, spatulate forks, and there are none beside the individual dishes. In the Imperium eating with one's fingers is the done thing, and plenty of moist towels are provided. Charles has never been to the Imperium, and Mother guides him through the menu, steering him away from an innocuous-looking pink thing that turns out to be almost unbearably spicy when Anya tries a tiny corner. Her eyes water, and she looks for her cup only to remember that it's empty. Xavi hands her his own with a shy smile, and she thanks him, sipping sweet Imperium plum wine thinned to half strength with juice. Boys wear paint here, and the print of his lips on the rim is like an indirect kiss.


End file.
